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Research Excellence Awards

Purpose

Research Excellence Awards highlight research achievements of recently tenured faculty members, to raise the profile of individuals who would be considered for future external recognition. Research Excellence Awards should be viewed as a “stepping stone” to future research recognition, as well as a strong sign of support of their current research achievements. Research Excellence Awards aim to promote the recognition of research excellence at the University of Guelph.

Criteria

Research Excellence Awards recognise research excellence of recently tenured faculty – within 1-2 years of having been awarded tenure. Research excellence is recognised as scholarly output that is demonstrably internationally impactful within the nominee’s discipline. This may include published works, but may also comprise other forms of scholarly output, research-related knowledge mobilization, research-derived innovation, and training of highly qualified personnel. The candidate should be someone who is on track to, or has already received, recognition on a national and/or international level, and for whom the Research Excellence Award would help promote further external successes.

Award

Recipients of Research Excellence Awards hold the award for one year. Each college will receive one Research Excellence Award per year, for a total of 7 awarded across the university. During that year, each Research Excellence Award recipient will receive a $5,000 research prize, deposited in the awardee's general purpose research account. Colleges may wish to augment this award (e.g., with additional research funds, or course release). One of the seven Research Excellence Awardees will receive special recognition, and receive an additional $5,000 research prize, deposited in the awardee's general purpose research account, for a total of $10,000 (see below). Recipients of Research Excellence Awards will be recognised (feted) at an annual research recognition event.

Eligibility

To be eligible, a faculty member should be within 2 years of having been awarded tenure. Newly tenured faculty members will be eligible for two nominations - one on the year they are granted tenure, and, if unsuccessful, another in the year following that.

Nominations

Each college runs their own selection process for nominees, receiving nominations from departments and schools within the college. For example, colleges can decide how many nominations they wish to receive from their departments and schools for review, and how nominations are evaluated prior to submission for approval by the Provost and VPR. It is expected and highly-suggested that colleges give special attention and consideration to Tri-Agency equity, diversity, and inclusion guidelines, and be prepared to indicate what plans were put in place to ensure that these guidelines have been observed.This said, nominations should comprise the nominee’s CV, plus a detailed nomination letter from department chairs / school directors, based on the tenure file, that makes the case for research excellence as defined above. Colleges review the departmental / school nominees, and nominate one individual for approval by the Provost and VPR. The nomination package submitted to the Provost and VPR should comprise the nominee’s CV, the nomination case letter from the department chair / school director, as well as a covering letter providing any additional information from the College Dean. Nominations should be submitted to the Provost and the VPR before the end of April. The Provost and VPR will review the nominations for approval, and will select one of the seven nominees for special recognition, as indicated above. Successful awardees will be announced in late May.

Conditions of the Award

Recipients will participate in the research recognition event. Each recipient will also provide one public lecture, organized by the Office of Research, for a general audience, based on their research. Finally, each recipient will participate in a Guelph Talks Research event.

University Research Awards

Who We Are

The Office of Research oversees a $146 million research enterprise across seven colleges, our regional campus at Ridgetown, 10 research stations and the University of Guelph/Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs partnership. We are committed to supporting the research programs of University of Guelph faculty across all disciplines.